News — 18th century horsemanship

Modern riders are often told that classical horsemanship is a modern invention. Concepts such as humane training, balance, progressive schooling, and respect for the horse are frequently presented as recent breakthroughs. Enlightened Horsemanship in Eighteenth-Century Britain quietly dismantles that idea. In this richly illustrated and deeply researched work, Alison Moller reveals a world in which horses were studied with seriousness, trained with intention, and managed with a level of care that may surprise even experienced horsemen. Long before modern terminology existed, eighteenth-century riders grappled with questions that remain central today: how horses learn, how they should be housed, and how...